Roof and side wall construction of bodies for land vehicles, especially railway cars



A- G. ROOF AND SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION OF BODIES FOR DEAN July 4, 1950 LAND VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1948 INVENTOR. A Fflberf G. Dean.

W 41 [jump ATTORNEY y 1950 A. G. DEAN ROOF AND SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION OF BODIES FOR LAND VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS Filed July 14, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. =Qlber+ CI. Dean ATTORNEY DEAN July 4, 1950 A. 2,514,123

ROOF AND SIDE WALL STRUCTION 0F BODIES FOR LAND VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 Filed July 14, 1948 INVENTOR. -Qlberf GiDeam BY fllmcz Z M A. G. DEAN ROOF AND SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION OF BODIES FOR LAND VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. *Qlberi' (IDeom Z W Z W ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 Filed July 14, 1948 July 4, 1950 A. e. DE IAN ROOF AND SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION OF BODIES FOR LAND VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS Filed July 14, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Albfl'I G. Dean ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROOF AND SIDE WALL CONSTRUCTION OF BODIES FOR LAND VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS tion of Pennsylvania Application July 14, 1948, Serial N 0. 38,727

Claims. (01. 105-399) The invention relates to the construction of a body for land vehicles of the type used outstandingly for passenger trains but also used in similar form for freight cars, trucks, busses and trailers. More specifically, the invention relates to bodies of the indicated type representing a hollow-section beam structure having a transversely arched roof, the sides of which merge into the side walls.

Still more specifically, the invention relates to a preassembled roof unit and side walls connected in final assembly with each other for forming a body of the above-outlined general type.

Among the objects of the invention are simplification of the construction, reduction of the number of parts required, decrease of weight, and economies in the preassembling of the roof unit and the remainder of the body as Well as in the final assembly of these preassemblies with each other.

In broad scope, the invention contemplates a construction of the transversely arched roof along its lateral margins, and of the upper marginal portions of the side walls, which is such that roof and side walls can be easily connected with each other in final assembly without requiring the connecting tools to enter into the spaces between the roof members. In connection with this feature, the invention further contemplates the equipment of the roof with insulation and other parts and accessories which previously had to be installed, at least to some extent, after connecting roof and side walls.

The above outlined and further objects, advantages and features of the invention will be fully understood from the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings and described hereinafter.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an exploded side elevation of a passenger railway car body prior to the connection between the roof unit and a unit comprising the side walls, certain parts of the outer panels being cut away to expose the underlying structure;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a short section of the railway car body shown in Figure 1 but on a larger scale and after final assembly of roof and side walls;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, partly sectional, perspective inside view of a marginal portion of roof unit and upper portion of one of the side wall units prior to their final assembly, the section being taken approximately along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 Figure 8 is a fragmentary, partly sectional,-

perspective inside view corresponding to Figure 3 of a modified embodiment of roof and side wall prior to their assembly;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective inside view of the parts shown in Figure 8 after their final assembly; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section through the meeting portions of roof and side wall, the section being taken approximately along line l0l 0 of Figure 9 and the outer roof sheathing being omitted.

This application is in part a further development of the disclosure in applicants copending application Serial No. 782,004, entitled Roof and Side Wall Connection for Railway Cars and Similar Vehicles, filed October 24, 1947. The general construction and the procedure of assembly illustrated in Figures 1 to '7 are also dis-v closed in applicants simultaneously filed application Serial No. 38,728, entitled Body for Land Vehicles, Especially Railway Cars, and Method of its Assembly, the claims of which are, however, directed to difierent features than the claims of this application. Certain features of this application are also shown in the simultaneously filed application Serial No. 38,726 of Gladeon M. Barnes, Charles L. Fike and the present inventor, entitled Roof for Land Vehi.- cles, Especially Railway Cars, and Method of Making the Same.

Following a known pattern, the railway car body illustrated in Figures 1 through 7 is built up of the following preassembled units: an underframe unit U, two side wall units S, a vestibule and a non-vestibule end wall unit V and NV, the former combined with end door posts P, and a roof unit R. The underframe unit U and the end wallunits V and NV are merely diagrammatically indicated in the drawing because their construction may be of known design. The underframe unit U may be preassembled with the side wall units S, the posts P and sometimes the end wall units V and NV, to form a larger unit, to which the roof unit R, is then added in final assembly.

Each side wall unit S comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical posts i5 interconnected by a bottom sill orchard it (Figure '7), a window sill or chord H, a Window header or chord !8, dead light panels is between and below the window openings W, and a shear panel (Figure 2) between bottom sill i tend Window sill H. The upper ends of the posts [5 prior to their connection with the roof project freely beyond the window header l8 and are provided on the inside with gusset plates 2i constituting part of the final assembly means between side wall and roof. The end regions of each side wall unit are provided with vertically reinforced shear webs 22.

The posts I5 are of channel-section and are arranged in pairs so that their open sides face each other. The outer walls 2-3 of the posts are secured by spot welding to the dead lig-ht panels l3, the shear panel 20 and the belt rail 24. The aforesaid gussets 2| are secured by spot welding to the inner walls of the posts. The window sill H and the window header l8 comprise short channel-section members 26 and 21, respectively. The members 1-6 are interconnected on the outside by the dead light panels i9, the belt rail 24, and the members 2"! are connected on the outside by the dead light panels i 9 and on the inside by gusset plates '28, the latter extending between anda short distance beyond two adjacent posts. The dead light panels I!) are supplemented at top and bottom by panel strips 29- and 30 which are secured to the members 26, 2'! and to the dead light panel l9 forming with the latter'the margins of the window openings W.

The underframe structure U comprises a transversely reinforced shear panel 3! and side sills 32 connected in final assembly with the sills iii of the side walls 5, and mostly comprises, in addition, a center sill, cross bearers'and bolster beams which are not shown.

The roof unit R, comprises a continuous upwardly facing channel-section sleeper or chord structuref33 on each side, longitudinally spaced Z 'secti o n carlines 34 having their ends secured in the sleepers 33, a longitudinally corrugated roof skin or sheathing 35 secured to the outer arms 35 of the carlines 34 and, on each side in downward extension of the roof skin, a skirt or letterboard 3'! reinforced along its lower margin by a molding 38. The roofis further reinforced by longitudinalpurlines -39 secured to the carlines 34 and the adjoining portions of; the roof sheathing 35; The lateralside portions 40 (Figure 7) of the roof are strongly arched and, without abrupt change of direction, merge into the side walls and into the nearly horizontal, gently arched middle portion 41 of the roof.

The roof sleepers 33 have an outer wall 42, a bottom wall 43 and an inner wall 44 which is wider than the outer walland reinforced along its upper margin by a beading 45. The letterboard. or skirt 3'! issecured to the outside of sleeper wall 42 and projects upwardly beyond it at 46 so that the top margin of the letterboardis approximately on the same level as the top margin of the inner sleeper wall 44. This upwardly projecting portion $6 of the letterboard is secured by spot welding to the lower marginal portion of the roof sheathing 35 (Figures 3 and 4).

The roof unit U, before its connection with the side walls S, maybe provided with insulation Sinai terial indicated at 41 in Figure '7. This insulation is held in the compartments formed by the carlines 3d, the outer roof sheathing 35 and the sleepers 33, and may extend all the way to the bottom Wall 43 of the latter. As will become apparent later on, the insulation 4? and other equipment and accessories (not shown), which may be preassembled with the roof unit, do not interfere with the making of the final connections between roof and side walls, on account of the novel construction and arrangement of the mating parts and of the final joints.

In final assembly, the roof unit R is slid telescoping-1y over the side wall units S which, as indicated before, previously may have been united with underframe, end walls and posts U, NV, V and P, whereupon the gussets 2! on the posts l5 are secured by plug welding to the inner walls 44 of the roof chords or sleepers 33, and the shirts or letterboards 37 of the roof unit R together with the moldings 38 are secured to. the outer walls 23 of posts i5 and the outer walls of window headers N3 of the side wall units S. For the purpose of making the plug welds, the gussets 2| are provided from the outset with holes lS along their upper margins.

The connection betweenthe upper margins of the gussets 2! and the roof sleepers 33 also can be effected by other means which do not require the entry of tools into the interior of the roof sleepers, a requirement which would prevent the com plete equipment of the roof with insulation. etc. It would also be feasible, without impairing the placing of insulation, etc, to preassemble the gussets with the sleepers and connect them in final assembly with the inner walls of the posts by electric spot welding. However, the illustrated procedure is preferred because it avoids difficulties in regard to lineeup of posts, gussets and carlines which are to be expected when gussets and posts are preassembled with different units.

The spot welding of letterboards 3'! with molding 38 to the outer walls 23 of the posts and to the outside of the window headers 58 can be effected easily by welding tools extending through the window openings Wwithout having the welding tools enter the space of the roof above the roof sleepers.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the roof unit R has on each side, only one side being shown, a sleeper structure 50, transverse carlines 5i, and a roof sheathing 52 ex tended downwardly beyond the sleeper by skirt portion 53 and reinforced by an inner shear panel 54 and by a molding rail 55. The sleeper struc ture 59 comprises an upwardly facing channelsection 56 to the bottom wall 5! of which an angle-section rail 53 is secured by its one arm 59 while its other arm 6! extends downwardly and is arranged in the same plane as the inner wall iii of the channel-section 55. The outer wall 62 of the channel is secured to the panel 54 which, similarly to the letterboard of the previous embodiment, extends at 63 beyond the channel 5%. Secured to the inner wall 6| of channel 56 and arm 60 of angle-section rail 58 is a web 64 which, in addition, is secured to the carlines 5i and balances the upwardly projecting portion 33 of panel 54.

As in the previous embodiment, this roof unit R may be provided with insulation and other accessories and equipment prior to its assembly with the side walls S.

The side wall units S comprise posts 65, the lower portions of which may be interconnected in similar manner as that shown in the previous embodiment. In their upper regions, yet spaced from their upper ends, the posts 65 are interconnected by a window header structure 66 consisting of channel-section members 61 extending from post to post and a continuous inner metal band 68 secured to the inner walls of the posts and to the inner wall 69 of the members 61. Triangular gussets are secured to the inner walls of the posts 65 at the upper ends thereof and have inwardly directed flanges H along their upper margins. The dimensions are such that the posts 65 with gussets ID of the side wall units S fit telescopingly between panels 54 and arms 60 of the roof unit R and that flanges H of gussets 10 present a support for the roof unit R.

For final connection between roof unit R and side walls S, the downwardly depending skirt 53, 54 of the roof unit, together with the molding 55, is secured to the outer walls of posts 65 and header members 61, and the portions of the gussets 10 projecting longitudinally beyond the posts are secured by spot welding at 12 to arms 60 and the lower portions of strips 64 of the roof sleepers 50. Here, as in the preceding embodiment, all these final connections can be made by tools which do not require reaching into the interior of the roof above the bottom wall of the sleepers and consequently require no consideration in providing the roof with insulation, accessories and equipment.

In both embodiments the construction is simplified, as compared with known construc-' tions, inasmuch as there is merely a sleeper construction along the lower margins of the roof rails and as the upper ends of the posts above the window header have no longitudinal connection prior to their assembly with the roof. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to '7, the number of elements in the regions where roof and side walls meet is reduced to the very minimum by the omission of the corrugated sheathing of the skirt, by the adaptation of the skirts as letterboards on account of their smooth exposed surfaces, by the ommission of top chords on the side wall units and by the reduction of each roof sleeper to one single element. This simplification is achieved by transferring the functions of the omitted elements to the remaining modified elements.

The illustrated structures consist throughout of sheet metal elements, preferably of austenitic stainless steel of the high tensile variety. In most cases these elements are connected with each other by electric spot or seam welding. These welds are indicated throughout the drawings by small asterisks and, in the case of crosssections, by dots, and require no further description. The departure in the first embodiment from spot welding for the joinder between gussets 2| and sleepers 33, and the importance of such departure, are outlined in the description of Figures 1 to 7.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated and described embodiments but is subject to further modifications and adaptations which, for instance, may be based on differences in car design and dimensions, available manufacturing facilities, materials to be used and on other factors.

What is claimed is:

1. In a body for railway cars and similar land vehicles, a roof unit and side wall units; said. roof unit comprising an upwardly facing channel section sleeper on each side, longitudinally spaced 6, carlines interconnecting said sleepers, a letterboard on the outside of the sleeper on each side and projecting downwardly therefrom, and longitudinally corrugated roof sheathing secured to 1 the outside of said carlines, said sleepers having an inner wall of greater width than the outer wall, said letterboards projecting upwardly beyond the upper margin of said outer wall, and the corrugated roof sheathing having its lower margins overlappingly secured to the portions of the letterboard projecting upwardly beyond the outer walls of the sleepers; each of said side wall units comprising longitudinally spaced posts freely projecting a distance approximately the width of said letterboard beyond a longitudinal chord structure in upward direction; upon final assembly of said roof and side wall units, saidletterboards overlapping and being secured to the outsides of said posts and said chord structures, and means accessible outside of the channel-section sleepers connecting the inner surfaces of said posts with said sleepers.

2. In a body for railway cars and. similar land vehicles, a roof unit and. side wall units, said roof unit comprising an upwardly facing one-piece channel-section sleeper on each side, longitudinally spaced carlines interconnecting said sleepers, a letterboard on the outside of each sleeper and projecting downwardly therefrom, and roof sheathing secured to the outside of said carlines; said sleepers each having an inner wall of considerably greater width than the outer wall thereof, said letterboards projecting upwardly beyond the upper margin of said outer wall, and said sheathing having its lower margins overlappingly secured to the portions of the letterboards projecting upwardly beyond the outer walls of the sleepers; each of said side wall units comprising longitudinally spaced posts projecting freely upwardly a substantial distance beyond a longitudinal chord structure; upwardly projecting gusset extensions on the insides of and secured to said posts; upon final assembly of said roof and side wall units, said letterboards overlapping and being secured to the outsides of said posts and said chord structures and said gussets being secured to the inner walls of the sleepers by plug welding so as to allow the roof unit prior to its assembly with the side wall units to be equipped with insulation and other accessories which block the interior of the sleepers to the entry of connecting tools such as welders and riveters.

3. In a body for railway cars and similar land vehicles, a roof unit and side wall units; said roof unit comprising a sleeper on each side, said sleepers including an upwardly facing channelsection portion and a continuous downwardly extending arm on the inside, said roof unit also comprising longitudinally spaced carlines interconnecting said sleepers, a panel on each side secured to the outside of the sleeper and projecting downwardly therefrom, and roof sheathing secured to the outside of said carlines and the upper margins of said panels; each of said side wall units comprising longitudinally spaced posts having their ends project freely above a longitudinal structure, said longitudinal structure being spaced a considerable distance from the upper margin of the respective side wall unit; upon final assembly of said roof and side wall units, said panels overlapping and being secured to the outsides of said posts and said chord structures, and said arms of the sleepers overlapping and being secured in final assembly to the insides of said posts of the side wall units.

vehicles, a roof unit and side wall units; said roof unit comprising on each side a sleeper having an upwardly facing channel-section portion and a continuous downwardly extending arm on the inside, said roof unit also comprising longitudinally spaced carlines interconnecting said sleepers, a panel on each side secured to the outside of the sleeper and projecting downwardly therefrom, and roof sheathing secured to the outside of said carlines and the upper margins of said panels; each of said side wall units comprising longitudinally; spaced posts having their ends projecting for a considerable part of their length freely above a longitudinal chord structure and having gusset plates secured to their insides at their upper ends; upon final assembly of said roof and side wall units, said panels overlapping and being secured to the outsides of said posts and said chord structures, and said arms of the sleepers overlapping and being secured in final assembly to the insides of said gussets on said posts of the side wall units.

5. In a body for railway cars and similar vehicles including a preassembled transversely arched roof unit and preassembled side walls; said side walls having longitudinally spaced posts interconnected at a substantial distance below their upper ends by a longitudinal chord structure; said roof unit comprising longitudinally spaced carlines, longitudinal sleepers connected to the ends of the carlines, an outer roof sheathing connected to the carlines and sleepers, and a skirt on each side extending downwardly beyond the respective sleeper in continuation of the roof sheathing; said sleepers each comprising an upwardly facing channel-section rail fitting telescopingly over the ends of the carlines, an anglesection rail secured by its one arm to the underside of the bottom wall of said channel-section rail while its other arm projects downwardly and is spaced inwardly from said skirt, and a fiat strip, secured to the inner surfaces of the inner wall of the channel-section rail and of said other arm of the angle-section rail and extending upwardly beyond said channel-section rail; upon final assembly said roof unit fitting telescopingly over the upper ends of said posts, having the skirts secured as a final assembly operation to the outsides of the posts and chord structures of the side walls, and having the downwardly extending arms of the sleepers secured as another final assembly operation to the insides of the posts; the construction permitting said final as sembly operations to be made in regionsbelow the bottom wall of the channel-section rails of the roof sleepers thereby allowing the providing of,

the roof unit with insulation and other equipment prior to its assembly with the side walls.

6; Roof unit for bodies of railway cars and similar vehicles, comprising longitudinally spaced carlines, longitudinal sleepers connectedto the ends of the carlines, an outer roof sheathing connected to the carlines and sleepers, and a panel on each side projecting downwardly in extension of the sheathing beyond the respective sleeper; said sleepers each comprising an upwardly facing channel-section rail fitting telescopingly over the ends of the carlines, an anglesection rail secured by its one arm to the underside of the bottom wall of said channel-section rail while its other arm projects downwardly andv is spaced inwardly from said anel, said roof unit being adapted to fit telescopingly over the upper ends of side wall posts, to have the panels securedto-the outsides of) the, posts and tohave the, downwardly extending arms of the sleepers withthe side walls of a body.

7. Roof unit for railway cars and similar. vehicles comprising longitudinally spaced carlineslongitudinal sleepers connectedto. the ends.-

of the carlines, an outer roof sheathing connected to the carlines and sleepers, and a skirt on each side extending, downwardly beyond the respective sleeper in continuationof said sheaths ing; said sleepers each comprising an upwardly facing channel-section portion fitting telescope ingly over the ends of the carlines, anddown. wardly projecting means spaced inwardly from said skirts; said roof unit. being formed andv dimensioned tov fit telescopingly with its said skirts and means over the upper ends of. side wallposts, having the skirts secured to the out:

sides. of the posts, and having said mean secured;

to the insides of the posts; the construction arranging the final connections ofthe roof unitto. the side walls at points below the channels section portions of the roof sleepers-thereby allowing provision of theroof unit withinsulation and. other equipment, prior to its assembly with the sidewalls.

8, In a body for. railway cars and similar land vehicles, a roof unit and side wall units; said roof unit comprising a sleeper on each side, longitudinally spacedcarlines interconnecting. said,

s1eepers,,a skirt on, each side secured to the respectivesleeper and projecting downwardly therefrom, and longitudinally. corrugated roof sheathing. secured. to. the outside of said, carlines and said sleepers; said sleepers, carlines and sheathing. forming shallow compartments adaptedior the reception of insulating material; each, of said side wall units comprising longi tudinal chord structures and lon itudinally spaced, posts projecting upwardly a substantial distance beyond and interconnected by said chord structures; saidsleeperseachhaying a horizontal wall and along their. inner margin a web arranged.

said roof unit. comprising longitudinally spaced carlines, longitudinal sleepers connected to the ends oi the, carlines, an. outer roof sheathing connected to the carlines, and on each side a continuation. ofthe roof sheathing projecting downward y b y nd sai leepe a per a h comprising an upwardly facing channel-section rail fitting telescopingly, with inner and outer walls over the ends of the carlines; one of said roof. unit and said side walls havi g Webs on, the inside along their margins and projecting toward the other one of said side walls and roof unit;,the'

margins of said roof unit and side walls fitting in. final assembly telescopingly the one over the other, having said continuations of the sheathing secured to the outsides of the posts and chord 9 structures of the side walls, and having said webs secured to the inside of the other one of said side walls and roof unit by means applied outside of the channel-section of said sleeper.

10. In a method of manufacturing a body for railway cars and similar land vehicles, the step of preassembling into a roof unit a pair of upwardly facing channel-section lateral sleepers, longitudinally spaced carlines interconnecting said sleepers, a skirt secured to the outside of the sleeper on each side and projecting downwardly therefrom, longitudinally corrugated roof sheathing secured to the outside of said carlines and the upper margins of said sleepers and insulating material in the spaces between sleepers, carlines and sheathing; the step of preassembling into side Walls longitudinally spaced posts and longitudinal chord structures interconnecting the 16 posts and spaced downwardly from their upper ends; and the step of finally assembling said roof unit and side walls by overlappingly securing said skirts to the outsides of said posts and said chord structures and by securing the insides of said. sleepers and said posts with each other by means applicable outside of the channel-section of the sleepers.

ALBERT G. DEAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,171,425 Dean et al Aug. 29, 1939 2,185,977 Dean Jan. 2, 1940 

